Plants of the Week

Diospyros whyteana

Common names: bladder-nut, blackbark (Eng.); swartbas (Afr.); mohlatsane (NS); munyavhili (V); umTenatane(X); uManzimane or umKahze(Z)

Family: Ebenaceae

This enticing little tree has so many wonderful features: dark green, strikingly glossy leaves; creamy fragrant flowers; unusual smooth, dark grey, almost...

24 / 06 / 2002 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diospyros simii

Common names: climbing star-apple, rub-rub berry, star apple (Eng.); ranksterappel, kraaibessie, kraaibessiebos, ranktolbessiebos, tolbessiebos (Afr.); umbongisa (i

Family: Ebenaceae

This fast-growing shrub or small tree grows well in sun or semi shade. It produces white flowers in spring, followed by decorative, orange-red, edible...

08 / 11 / 2021 | Zubayr Sydow | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diospyros scabrida var. cordata

Common names: Hard-leaved monkey plum; blinkblaar,hardeblaartolbos (Afr.)

Family: Ebenaceae

This lovely little tree has three outstanding features to recommend it; its compact growth habit, its gorgeous glossy foliage and its unusual balloon fruit...

22 / 09 / 2014 | Cherise Viljoen | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diospyros natalensis

Common names: acorn jackal-berry, acorn diospyros, small-leaved jackal-berry (Eng.); akkerjakkalsbessie, fynblaar jakkalsbessie, smalblaarjakkasbessie (Afr); umhlay

Family: Ebenaceae

A beautiful, densely branched, evergreen shrub or small tree, with attractive, glossy, dark green leaves, small white flowers in spring and yellowish to...

14 / 06 / 2021 | Winfred Velephi Ngwenya | Lowveld NBG

Diospyros mespiliformis

Common names: African ebony, jackal-berry (Eng.); jakkalsbessie (Afr.); Musuma (Tshivenda); Mgula (Tsonga)

Family: Ebenaceae

Diospyros mespiliformis has a fantastic mutualism and symbiotic network with many living organisms, from human beings to small insects. There is a complex...

20 / 08 / 2007 | Thompson T Mutshinyalo | Walter Sisulu NBG

Diospyros lycioides

Common names: bluebush, star-apple, monkey plum (Eng.); bloubos (Afr.); Muthala (Venda); Lethanyu (Tswana); Monkga-nku (Southern Sotho); Mtloumana (Northern Sotho);

Family: Ebenaceae

This exciting shrub or small tree is a very tough plant which grows well country-wide. Its most attractive features are its smooth bark, blue-green leaves,...

26 / 09 / 2005 | Luambo David Rambuwani | Free State NBG

Diospyros dichrophylla

Common names: poison star-apple (Eng.); gifsterappel (Afr.); umnqandane (Zulu)

Family: Ebenaceae

Diospyros dichrophylla is not as well known as some of members of the genus such as the oriental persimmon (D. kaki ), a lovely edible fruit...

26 / 11 / 2007 | K Behr | Pretoria NBG

Diospyros austro-africana

Common names: fire-sticks, star-apple (Eng.); kritikom, jakkalsbos, vuurmaakbossie, kraaibessie (Afr.); liperekisi-tsa-makhoaba, senokonoko (South Sotho), umbhongis

Family: Ebenaceae

Diospyros austro-africana is a beautiful indigenous shrub or small tree that bears little cream, pink and even red lantern-like flowers. Not only attractive...

03 / 11 / 2008 | Luambo David Rambuwani | Free State NBG

Diosma prama

Common names: Little Karoo bitter-buchu

Family: Rutaceae

Take a closer look at Diosma prama with masses of tiny creamy white flowers covering the entire bush during its winter flowering season. It creates a...

11 / 04 / 2005 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diosma oppositifolia

Common names: bitter buchu (Eng.); bitterboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Diosma oppositifolia is an aromatic shrub with attractive foliage and a long flowering season; it is a useful filler shrub for fynbos and water-wise...

21 / 01 / 2008 | Justin Wigget | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diosma hirsuta 'Blue Downs'

Common names: wild buchu (Eng.); rooiboegoe, wildeboegoe, Hottentotsboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

Diosma hirusta ' Blue Downs' belongs to the Rutaceae family commonly referred to as the citrus family and is easily identified by the presence...

21 / 11 / 2005 | Norma Jodamus | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diosma haelkraalensis

Common names: Hagelkraal bitter-buchu (Eng.); Hagelkraal bitterboegoe (Afr.)

Family: Rutaceae

This extremely hardy buchu thrives in both alkaline and acidic soils of the fynbos, and flowers for much of the year....

24 / 07 / 2017 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG

Diosma aristata

Common names: Mossel Bay buchu, spear-leaf diosma

Family: Rutaceae

Diosma aristata is without a doubt the most threatened species in this enigmatic genus of plants. Buchus are well known for their medicinal qualities,...

07 / 05 / 2018 | Ismail Ebrahim | CREW

Dioscorea sylvatica

Common names: forest elephant’s foot, forest tortoise plant, elephant’s foot yam, wild yam (Eng.); olifantsvoet, skilpadknol (Afr.); nakaa, usikolipati (isiXhos

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea sylvatica, commonly known by the name of wild yam, is a slow-growing, caudiciform plant that has an interesting structure which gives it great...

07 / 08 / 2023 | Lufuno Nenungwi | Free State NBG

Dioscorea strydomiana

Common names: Ebutsini wild yam, Strydom's wild yam

Family: Dioscoreaceae

In a recent international publication the South African wild yam Dioscorea strydomiana was included among the world's 100 most threatened species....

18 / 03 / 2013 | Lize Von Staden | TSP

Dioscorea elephantipes

Common names: turtle back, elephant's foot, Hottentots' bread

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea elephantipes is one of the most beautiful, weird and wonderful, caudiciform plants around! It has a deeply fissured surface, resembling...

25 / 04 / 2005 | Ian Oliver | Karoo Desert NBG

Dioscorea dregeana

Common names: wild yam (Eng.); wildejam (Afr.); ingcolo (Xhoza); isidakwa (Zulu)

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea dregeana is a perennial, twining, herbaceous creeper, up to 15 m long....

03 / 06 / 2013 | M Mashiane | National Herbarium Pretoria

Dioscorea brownii

Common names: none

Family: Dioscoreaceae

Dioscorea brownii, a little known, unusual and rare member of the yam family is found only in southern KwaZulu-Natal. It is unique amongst the dioscoreas...

04 / 05 / 2009 | Isabel Johnson | KwaZulu-Natal NBG

Dimorphotheca tragus

Common names: ox-eye daisy, Cape marigold, Namaqualand daisy, African daisy (Eng.); jakkalsbossie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

A perennial herb, with thinly scattered, toothed leaves and bright daisy flowers, which create an attractive sight in spring....

31 / 10 / 2016 | Ramadimetja Junia Maleka | Kirstenbosch NBG

Dimorphotheca sinuata

Common names: Namaqualand daisy, African daisy (Eng.); gousblom, jakkalsblom, botterblom, namakwalandse madeliefie (Afr.)

Family: Asteraceae

This showy annual creates sheets of brilliant orange when it flowers in Namaqualand in early spring, drawing visitors from near and far. This particularly...

08 / 07 / 2002 | Mhlonishwa D Dlamini | Kirstenbosch NBG

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